Tax Accounting Programs in Iowa
Educational Information:
Today’s accounting professional has numerous areas where he or she can specialize, including tax auditing. While tax preparers help individuals and businesses file tax returns, tax auditors look for errors, omissions and fraudulent reporting after the fact. Tax auditors are employed by local, state and federal government bodies as well as private, public and non-profit organizations.
Licensing Information:
After you have completed your bachelor or graduate degree, you must pass the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam to demonstrate proficiency in tax auditing and other financial topics. Your coursework must include 24 semester hours of accounting work and 24 hours of courses related to other business topics. You also need to show proof that you have completed at least 150 semester hours of college-level coursework in business and accounting before you officially receive your CPA certificate.
Employment Information:
As of May 2020, accounting professionals earned an average salary of $71,920 in Iowa, while tax preparers here earned an average salary of $47,060. Between 2018 and 2028, the number of accountant and auditor jobs in the state is projected to increase by 9.8%, and the number of tax preparer jobs is projected to increase by 8%.
About 1,290 annual job openings for accountants and 110 annual job openings for tax preparers are expected during this ten-year period leading to 2028 due to a combination of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.
May 2020 Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and job market trends for accountants and auditors and tax preparers. Figures represent state data, not school specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed April 2021.
Job growth projections for accountants and auditors and tax preparers sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor-sponsored O*Net database and based on state-specific information (2018-2028)